Everyone knows the classic villains- Maleficent, Ursula, Jafar, etc. But what about the forgotten Disney Villains? Let’s take a step back, just in time for Halloween, and reminisce on these 13 sinister characters.
Pete- Steamboat Willie (1928)
Peter Pete Sr. better known as Pete, or Peg Leg Pete was the original nemesis to both Mickey Mouse and Oswald the Lucky Rabbit.
The Lonesome Ghosts (1937)
Four bored ghosts (The Lonesome Ghosts) decide to call The Ajax Ghost Exterminators to come and check out their haunted house. As one ghost puts it, “Guess we’re too good” because they had already scared away everyone in the town. They love to play tricks on the living.
Honest John & Gideon- Pinocchio (1940)
John Worthington Foulfellow, better known as Honest John, and his sidekick Gideon are two of the antagonists in the movie Pinocchio. They are a pair of con men in Geppetto’s village. They manipulate their victims in exchange for money.
Brom Bones- The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949)
Abraham Van Brunt, or Brom Bones, was the leader of the Sleepy Hollow Boys, a gang of young men in Sleepy Hollow. He is said to be “always good for a fight or a frolic”. His favorite pastime is to taunt and bully the new school teacher, Ichabod Crane.
Merlock the Magician- Ducktales Treasure of the Lost Lamp (1990)
Merlock the Magician is the evil sorcerer in Ducktales, Treasure of the Lost Lamp. He possesses a magic talisman that grants him unlimited wishes and also allows him to transform into different animals. He has sunk Atlantis, made Mount Vesuvius erupt and destroyed Pompeii. Now he is after Scrooge and his nephews.
Edgar Balthazar- The Aristocats (1970)
Edgar Balthazar is the loyal butler in the Aristocats until he finds out his Madame is going to leave her fortune to her cats. He then drugs them and releases them into the French Countryside. He is a very arrogant, greedy, and scheming villain.
Percival C. McLeach- The Rescuers Down Under (1990)
Percival C. McLeach is the main antagonist in The Rescuers Down Under. He is a very evil poacher who captures rare animals and sells them. It doesn’t bother him at all to kill them, as shown in him singing a twisted version of “Home on the Range”.
Judge Doom- Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)
Barron Von Rotten, better known as Judge Doom, is a much feared character in Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Doom creates a concoction called Dip (a vat of turpentine, acetone, and benzene) which permanently kills cartoons he perceives as guilty.
Claude Frollo- The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)
Judge Frollo is one of Disney’s Darkest Villains. He is a religious zealot, intolerant of sinners. Much of the movie is tied to Frollo’s religion, lust, and genocide.
Madam Mim- The Sword in the Stone (1963)
Madam Mim is a witch whose powers rival Merlin’s. She is a sadistic and conceited character. She enjoys seeing her enemy’s suffer whether from sickness or her own hand.
Professor Ratigan- The Great Mouse Detective (1986)
Crime Lord, Professor Ratigan, is the archenemy of Basil of Baker Street. His grand scheme is to control all of Mousedom. When provoked, Ratigan reveals a very violent and savage mind.
The Horned King- The Black Cauldron (1985)
Most people don’t remember the Horned King. He is a ruthless and merciless villain. His main goal is to find the black cauldron and use it to unleash an army of warriors called the Cauldron Born. His desire is to become “a god between mortal men”.
Chernabog- Fantasia (1940)
Chernabog is one of the biggest forgotten Disney villains. Described as Satan himself, Chernabog is a demon and considered Disney’s best representation of pure evil. Him and his minions have no actual goal, other than general tyranny. He does not possess a tragic backstory or a motive for his actions. He is evil purely for the fun of it.